Believe In Me
by xxBurningxx
Summary: "Maka, when I get outta here, I wanna marry you." - Sentenced to life in prison for a murder he didn't commit, it seems that all hope is lost as the years pass by. But he's not alone. She's there for him.


**Story Note: Maka is 17 years old, while Soul is 18. I also apologize if the format confuses you…It switches between past and present, and sometimes both…Please bare with it!**

**Warning: Rated T, but the use of the "f-word" and other swear words is used multiple times.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater.**

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><p><strong>Believe In Me<strong>

**by. **_xxBurningxx_

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><p><em>Somewhere, in the depths of London, within a street named Chester, a scream rips through the chilly night air. It's a shrill cry of terror that reaches no further than the small space that encloses them. The girl whimpers as she slips down the wall that she was previously pinned to, her life slipping away with each passing second. Blood is leaking from her stomach, a pool quickly gathering on the ground below, tainting the already dirty concrete. <em>

_And then the man laughs. It's a gruesome laugh, filled with utmost evil and madness. Somewhere in that horrifying voice is regret; for everything he's done, every person he's murdered, all the people he's framed. But his sins are too great, and there's no turning back now. _

_"Olive Jankster, you know what I love best about this?" he drawls out with a grin. His voice is a deep baritone that lingers on each syllable._

_He lets his left index finger slide down the length of the blade, allowing the thick blood to catch on it. That same finger slips into his mouth; the salty, metallic taste that erupts against his taste buds are the equivalent to a milkshake to him. He craves that flavor like a child craves sweets._

_She's just about to grunt something when he abruptly stabs his blade into her for the second time that night. The warm liquid that specks his face fills him with a sweet sense of satisfaction that reaches his chest. Nothing could fill him with more pleasure than this. _

_She gasps in pain as he grins widely, "The fact that no one will know that it was I who did this…" _

_Her breath is erratic, growing weaker with each intake. He waits a few moments before continuing. "Love…quite the funny thing, is it not?" He takes a pause, as if he were in thought. "It seems that I always target the deepest, ever growing relationships…Perhaps I should work on that, no?" _

_His musing makes no sense to her. She doesn't have boyfriend; never had she experienced anything like love. Instead of wondering about it further, she dully reaches for the knife that lays embedded in her midsection. _

"_Ah, I'll get that for you…" His voice is heavily layered with morbid cruelty. He ignores the bubbling excitement in his chest. _

_And with that, the man twists the blade in her gut, smiling wickedly as a trail of crimson follows the knife as he pulls it out of her. The bloodied knife clatters to the floor, intentionally left by her dying corpse. He turns away slowly, and begins walking away, leaving the young woman's body in the alleyway to collect dust. _

_The man chuckles as he takes a step forward, saying one last thing. _

_"Soul Eater Evans, tonight, my friend, you just became a murderer..." _

_There is a whish of wind, a flutter of darkness, and suddenly, everything is silent, and Chester Street is completely void of any life..._

_Somewhere, in the depths of London, a man by the name of Rick Cheshire has just committed his one hundred and ninth crimes, his morbid grin growing with each coming and passing murder..._

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><p>Kneeling down on her knees, Maka Albarn decides right then and there that there was no such thing as 'fate'. It was a stupid concept anyway, and she didn't need it.<p>

Her head is sore from leaning against the bed's frame, the wooden surface leaving a dent in her forehead. She hasn't moved herself from this uncomfortable position for the past three hours; instead, she is left to drown in her own thoughts. She ignores the ever growing pain in her stiff limbs, trying to stop the silent sobs that rack her body.

She shakes her head, mumbles something incoherent, and wipes at her running nose with the sleeve of her shirt. This cannot be. The police must have been wrong, there was certainly a mistake, right? Just as her tears begin to cease, reduced to mere sniffles, she feels another wave crash over her. Maka wails, allowing herself to slip upon the cold floor. Her muscles scream in rejection at the new and sudden position, burning in a physical pain that doesn't seem to reach her brain.

Maka falls limp, whimpering as many of her joints pop and crack in an un-welcomed pleasure.

"This is stupid…" It's the only thing that comes to her half-operating mind. Her voice is a tense whisper, her throat itchy from lack of use and sore from crying. It's not until later that she realizes how stupid of a sentence it was…

She doesn't understand what's going on, or why this is happening. She desperately desires comfort, but the only thing that sounds appealing at the moment is perhaps her partner's arms around her shoulders, and that certainly isn't anything that will be happening soon.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Maka deftly acknowledges Blair padding in. In her cat form, she gives a soft mewl and curls up besides Maka's sprawled out form, having seen all of the day's previous events. It's a feeble attempt at offering support, and somewhere in her muddled thoughts, Maka is grateful for the cat's thoughtful gesture.

And so Maka sits there on the hard floor, allowing her silent tears to accumulate in a small puddle as she tries to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach, willing the confusion and pain to simply vanish.

Fate truly was just a load of bullshit, or perhaps it just had a grudge against every living organism that existed. Either way, it was still just another entity that enjoyed plotting conspiracies against Maka Albarn…

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><p><em>"Today on Channel 8 News: The London Ex Murder Files, coming up next! Current date: January 7th. Weather: Low 44F, High 80F..." <em>

_The TV flickers in an empty apartment, the people who occupy the living space currently out doing something, having completely forgetting the television as they rushed out the door. _

_"Amanda Jackson here with your latest story! A series of mysterious murders have taken place all throughout the region of Europe. Starting in London, England with the murder of Jane Nicole, a continuing line of murders soon follow after the first. Reports say that victims are all killed in various ways, ranging from gun wounds to stabbing. It remains undecided whether or not the murders have been committed by a single individual, or a group of killers. Here's Daina, who's at the scene of the latest murder."_

_The screen flashes to another lady. She's standing in front of many police cars and sirens can be heard in the background. _

_"Thanks Amanda. Hi, this is Daina Wilcox and I'm currently at the most recently discovered murder location. Returning to London, the body of identified individual Olive Jankster has been found in an empty alleyway on the lonesome Chester Street. It appears that her body was stabbed multiple times with a butcher knife that was left behind at the scene. The body has been sent for an autopsy while all evidence gathered is being examined by forensic experts. Results are to be expected within the next month. Back to you Amanda."_

_The screen changes again. _

_"Police believe that the killer/killers have no purpose in their murders and may not be mentally stable. Further conclusions will be made when autopsy results are in. We have no way of knowing when or where the next murder will be, we can only hope that these mysterious killings will soon come to a stop...Please keep watch for further information. If you see any suspicious activity or figures in your area, please call..."_

_Somewhere in a low-star hotel, Rick Cheshire sits in front of a TV, watching the news as a grin that matches his name begins to play on his lips... _

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><p>Sunrise comes sooner than she would have thought possible. Maka doesn't even realize that she had slipped into a unconscious state until she wakes up with a kink in her neck and her back hurting like hell. For a moment, she wonders why she's on the floor, but then the events of the previous day come rushing back to her. Suddenly, she feels sick, nausea sinking into the depths of her stomach.<p>

Her nose is clogged and her eyes are itchy.

Maka pulls herself up, resting her sore back against the bed frame. Her body aches with every movement, but she can't find it in herself to care. She doesn't know what to do and her head is spinning with each pulse of her heart. Slowly and painfully, she drags herself into the bed and pushes her aching body underneath the covers. She's not stupid and she knows that her limbs need proper rest; that she's going to get nowhere until she has the energy. So, she closes her eyes and allows sleep to settle over her once again.

Maka is awakened by the loud and formal beep of her cell phone. She can hear the vibrations of the device on her nightstand. She forces her eyes open, the sun's rays blinding her momentarily. She pulls herself up into a sitting position, grabbing the phone and answering it hastily.

"H-hello?" Her voice is scratchy from sobbing and her arm aches as she holds the phone to her ear.

"Is this Maka Albarn?" The tone on the other line is official; it holds authority and a sense of business that makes Maka wary.

"Yes..."

"Soul Evan's lawyer has asked me to inform you of Mr. Evans trial by jury dateline. You are the person closest to him at the moment, are you not?"

Maka's breath hitches as soon as she hears her partner's name. Her head is spinning. How in the name of Death do they already have a date set? How did Soul even get a lawyer so soon? Nothing makes sense while a countless number of questions run through her mind, bugging at her, begging to be asked. And then she remembers that she was supposed to answer the man at the phone.

"O-oh. Y-yes, I am..." Maka tries in vain to steady her already shaky voice.

"February 15th is the set date. The location will be at the Death City Courthouse. Do you have any questions?"

Does she have questions? Of course she has _fucking questions!_ It takes all of Maka's willpower to simply not explode right then and there. Instead, she keeps collected and calm, taking a deep breath. "Am I allowed to visit Soul right now?"

"Of course. Until his trial, he will be located at the Death City County Jail."

"O-okay, thanks. Oh, and could I have your name?"

"Absolutely. It's Mr. Onix Rhoton. And this is the number that you can reach me by."

"Okay. Thanks, good-bye."

Maka closes the phone's lid and sets it back down on the nightstand. She takes a unsteady breath and then realizes that her entire body is shaking. Closing her eyes, she breaths deeply in and out, running a unnerved hand through her knotted and messy mop of hair. February 15th. _Fuck. _Maka quickly does the math in her head. Today is February 2nd, that means that her partner has eight days...

Slowly, Maka pushes herself out of bed and searches for a pair of clean clothes. She checks the time. 11:40 a.m. She tosses on a nice t-shirt and a skirt, making herself relatively presentable. Once she's pleased with her appearance, she heads out the door...Taking a final, unsteady breath, Maka begins to make her way to the Death City County Jail.

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><p><em>Everything is a blur. <em>

_One moment, she's casually putting her fork in her mouth and eating some curry, and the next she's watching a group of men kicking down their door. Flashes of blue and black inform her that they're police officers. And the abrupt shouts inform her that they mean business. Through her spinning world, Maka can see her partner being roughly grabbed and handcuffed. _

_"Soul Evans, you are being arrested for charge of murder!"_

_There is a mixture of sounds around her. Crashes, yells and shouts, thrashing. She's screaming his name as she surges forwards in a desperate attempt to get closer to her weapon. Forceful arms pull her back. _

_"Ma'am, please stay back!"_

_She's pushed painfully to the ground when she ignores the officer's orders. Maka squirms underneath the extra weight, her arms pinned behind her back. She blinks back tears as she watches her partner being shoved out the front door. He's yelling something at her, but she doesn't hear him. The only thing that's audible is the blood rushing in her ears._

_She vaguely recalls hearing him scream her name._

_"MAKA!" _

_And then the door is slammed and everything goes black..._

_The apartment is a mess when she wakes up. The living room table is askew, vases are broken on the floor, photo frames are tipped, and other things of the sort are out of place. The term, "It looks like a hurricane came through here!" fits quite well. The police had left her where she fainted...That really pisses her off, but there isn't anything she can really do about it now. _

_Maka recalls the day's previous events and the eerie words that the officer had shouted echo in her mind..._

"Soul Evans, you are being arrested for charge of murder!"

_She wishes that she could say she handled the situation well, but that would be far from the truth. In retrospect, her world came crashing down on top of her all at once. Soul? A murderer? That was obscene. Ridiculous. Impossible. _

_Maka can hardly remember anything past that point except for braking down and crying...Why do things like this happen to her? The one man she's ever given her trust to has just arrested...for murder..._

_The man she fell for has been arrested for murder. _

_"The man I love has just been arrested for murder..." The words roll off her tongue and float around the empty apartment._

_It's gotta be the craziest thing she's ever heard._

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><p>She hesitates before pushing through the doors. The building itself seems to hover over her, intimidating her. Maka lets out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding before walking through the doors that lead the Death City County Jail.<p>

The first thing Maka sees is a woman behind a glass screen of some sort. She gives her a smile that seems entirely way too happy, as if she enjoyed working at the jail.

Stepping up to the counter, Maka internally prepares herself. "Hi...I'm here to visit...Soul Evans..." Her voice is much steadier and confident than thought it would be. She watches as the woman flips through a couple of sheets of paper before looking back up.

"Ah, okay. Good timing, visiting hours started just a little while ago at 12 p.m. sharp. Let's see, Soul Evans...He's at high risk, for murder..."

Maka flinches at the word 'murder'…The lady doesn't notice.

"Okay…If you'd just sign your name right here..."The woman says, handing her a clipboard and pen and pointing to a slot on the page. She hastily scribbles down her name, handing it back to the woman.

"If you'd walk through those doors right there," The woman points to Maka's right, at a set of double doors, "You will go through the security check room, where officers will check your bags and after that, you may continue to the visiting area. You'll be at station 6, and Mr. Evans should be there shortly." Maka nods and offers a fake smile before going to the designated area.

The officers inside the security checking room are harsh and strict. They send her through a metal detector, scan her bag, and go through her things before finally allowing her to visit Soul. They send her through a short hallway, and through a set of doors. She enters a rectangular room which is lined with a row of visiting booths.

There's only one other person there, at station 1, and besides that, the rectangular room is empty. Maka wishes that she could see Soul without the glass between them, but even before trial, high risk prisoners are supposed to be contained like this.

When her partner slowly walks in from the door on the other side, Maka can't help but stare at him through the glass. He looks extremely stressed and freaked out, even if he's only been there one night. They already have him in an orange body suit that badly contrasts with his ruby eyes and stark white hair. Maka picks up the phone that lies to her right, while Soul sits down and does the same.

"Soul..." She mumbles, her wary emerald eyes locking with his dull ones.

"Maka," He breaths. He's so glad she's come; he doesn't even notice how quickly his heart is thumping. "I didn't-"

"I know." It's all she has to say. Despite the confusion that had settled over her, she knew, deep down in her soul, that her partner wasn't a murderer.

"Oh, okay. Good..." He gives a grin of relief. Those two words that come out of his meister's mouth make him bubble with emotions. He didn't get an eye's wink of sleep that night, too busy wondering what was going through that thick skull of Maka's back at the apartment. He's ecstatic that she's there for him.

"But, Soul...I don't know what to do...Your trial...What's going on?"

"I honestly don't know, Maka...It doesn't look too good for me right now..." He mumbles, his eyes casting downwards. In all truth, Soul had been just as surprised as Maka when the police had shouted at him.

Neither of them says anything for a few moments, both lost in their own cloud of thoughts.

"Soul, have they contacted your parents?" Maka asks him, wondering if his family's possession of money could possibly be of any help.

His eyes darken, bitter anger masks his voice. She's a bit startled at his sudden change of tone. "Yeah. The fucking jackasses are in _Africa. _On a _vacation._ And apparently they can't spare the money to visit their own son…"

Maka says nothing. She doesn't need Soul Perception to catch the emotions running through him at the moment. If she were in his place, she'd probably be equally angry.

Instead, she slowly brings her hand to a rise, letting it settle on the chilly sheet of material in front of her. Soul looks up; his expression softens when he sees what his meister is doing. He imitates her movement, placing his own hand directly in front of her. The only thing that separates them is the thick sheet of glass that prevents any actual contact.

Despite everything, their souls harmonize in a calm, peaceful resonance side by side.

"Don't worry Soul. I'll prove you're innocent, I'll find a way. I promise."

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><p><em>"Mr. Evans, where were you on the 5th of January?" <em>

_"I was on a Death Scythe only mission in London, England." Soul's voice is void of any emotion. He's already realized what's going on. The murder he's been accused of had happened during the same time period that he was on the advanced mission, and after giving it some thought, he's sure that he's being framed. _

_The courtroom is filled with people. Maka, Death the Kid, the Thompson sisters, Tsubaki, Black Star, all of his friends are there for him. _

_The trial is flashing by quicker than he thought it would. He answers truthfully, and before he knows it, it seems that everything is coming to a close..._

_"Mr. Evans, do you have anything to back you innocence?"_

_Soul hesitates, he so badly wishes that he did, but in truth, he didn't. There was no way anything he said now would help him, and they've already found evidence against him. He just wishes he knew who exactly was behind this. _

_"No sir." _

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><p>She was just beginning to rebuild her walls when they came crashing down on her all over again.<p>

Tears blot her vision.

_"Soul Eater Evans, the jury has found you...Guilty! You are being sentenced to a life-time duty in prison. You will be transferred to a larger prison on April 18th in the city of Shurttape." _

The double-smack of wood against wood that seals the deal still rings in her ears, her world is spinning wildly.

_"Mr. Evans, your fingerprints were found at the knife left at the scene of murder. Do you object this?" _

Her weapon partner is standing up now, two police officers securing him, preparing to return him to his current place at County Jail. Ruby eyes meet grass ones, and at that moment, it seems as though time has come to a halt.

Their concern for each other is equally shared. The panic in her eyes is evident, and Soul worries that she won't be able to handle the sudden turn of events, despite how expected they were. And she is horrified at the idea of her partner spending his entire life in prison. Everything comes to an end as the officers push Soul out the double swing doors that lead out of the courtroom, their holding gaze being torn.

Tsubaki's arms are around Maka as she stands there crying, wondering how her life has taken this abrupt turn for the worse.

And suddenly, it seems as though a part of her soul has been ripped from her.

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><p><em>She visits him as often as she possibly can. They chat over small things...Making up for all the time that they've taken for granted in the previous years. <em>

_It's around mid-March when Lord Death summons her. _

_"Maka, I know that you no longer attend the academy, but without Soul, you can no longer take missions..." His odd voice sounds entirely too cheerful, and it fills Maka with a disgust that she can't explain._

_"Please consider taking up a different weapon for the time being..."_

_She casts her eyes down at the floor. A horrible feeling pangs in the pit of her stomach. "I'm sorry, sire, but I can't."_

_"Excuse me? I know that Soul's dilemma has come as a shock to everyon-"_

_"Sir. I refuse to take another weapon. I apologize." Maka is stubborn, and her heart is already broken enough. _

_"Please don't be unreasonable. Maka, you're one of our best 3-star meisters, I wouldn't like to let your talent to go to waste." Lord Death says, true concern laces its way into his otherwise happy voice...Although, somewhere in him, he really didn't expect her to accept his proposal... _

_"Sir, I'm willing to take a spot as a teacher, but I'm afraid that's as far as I'll go." Maka says. When Lord Death doesn't reply, she turns around and starts forward. Lord Death the doesn't see the single tear that drips down her face as she walks away. _

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><p>April 18th comes much faster than Maka would have preferred.<p>

"They're transferring me at 3 p.m. today..."

Maka sighs at the sound of her partner's voice. The city of Shurttape is about 300 miles from Death City, the long distance would certainly limit Maka's ability to visit Soul.

"Soul...I don't want you to go...I..."

"Believe me, Maka, I'd rather stay here at Death City than Shurttape...But I have no say in the matter, and you know that..." And she did. She just doesn't like it.

"This really sucks...You know I won't be able to visit you as often..." She mutters into the phone. That sheet of glass still separates them.

"I understand Maka...It's a four hour drive. I don't expect you to visit everyday...Just make sure you drop by every now and then, okay?" He says, offering her a grin. Even though she frowns, he sees the obvious worry that shines in her emerald orbs.

"Maka...Listen to me," Their eyes lock. "I'll be okay. No one's gonna mess with a cool guy like me, okay?" He stares at her, hoping that she won't catch the uncertainty in his voice. She nods again, adverting her gaze. She just wishes that things didn't have to be this way.

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><p><em>She would have never imagined loneliness being this painful. Every small thing she hadn't noticed before stands out like a single Fruit Loop amongst a sea of Cheerios. The soft hum of his soul, the barely audible sound of his ear buds, his tapping foot against the floor. The apartment is so void of noise that now she realizes how accustomed she was to constant sounds. <em>

_Her days are filled with immense loneliness and boredom. Without her partner, she isn't even allowed the luxury of small talk or arguments. Even the latter is better than nothing. Of course, meister-only missions are still available to her, but those are never exciting. Recon-missions mainly. Snooping around in a fancy dress, acting like everything was fine and dandy. Of course, it wasn't "fine and dandy." Nothing was "fine and dandy" while her beloved partner was in prison for Death's sake. _

_Maka rolls over in her bed, shuffling around beneath the sheets. Being alone with her thoughts surely can't be good for her...But she can't find it in herself to really converse with her friends. Any contact made with them is always dull, one or two word replies to everything. _

_Her life goes on like this for what seems like forever. Before she knows it, almost a year has gone by, and doesn't think things could get any worse at one of the "get-togethers". Where all old friend meet up to have a "good and fun" time. Maka doesn't view it as fun...If anything, it is a burden on her. They meet every two weeks, at the old basketball court, because apparently it was supposed to bring back good memories. _

_It only makes her think of _him.

_"How...How can you just g-give up on him like that?" Maka's voice wavers in fury. Her face flushes red, raw anger piercing the very depths of her soul. Tears prick her eyes from both anger and desperation. They're all standing in the center of the court, and the sun's rays cast a happiness that doesn't fit the atmosphere.  
><em>

_"Maka-chan, please. We've all discussed it," Tsubaki tries to soften, "And Black Star, Kid, Liz, Patty, and I all agree that this couldn't be possible if Soul were innocent..." _

_"What? How do you guys know that he wasn't framed? I don't understand how you guys could __**ever **__think that Soul is truly responsible for this! You've known him for just as long as I ha-!"_

_"Maka." Death The Kid's tone is curt and harsh, full intent placed on stopping Maka from her small little rant. "Both traces of Soul's DNA and fingerprints were found at the scene of murder, could you explain that to us then, Maka?" He's starting to become fed up with his friend's stubbornness. The entire gang, minus Maka, had talked for hours on end about said weapon's innocence, and in the end, they couldn't come up with anything better. _

_"Kid..." Liz whispers, worried that her meister is taking it too far with this. The words that come out of Kid's mouth only enrage Maka further. She throws her arms up in frustration. _

_"Witches have crazy powers like that! One could ea-"_

_"If you haven't forgotten, since the Kishin Ashura was killed, the witches have agreed to back down in a truce with Shibusen. They're smart enough to know not to trifle with my father." Kid says, bursting her desperate reasoning._

_"Yeah, Maka. As much as I don't like it, even a god like me knows when someone is innocent and guilty." Black Star adds, his voice surprisingly quiet and holding a tinge of sadness. _

_"Hahahaha, Maka's in denial!" Patty giggles, rubbing salt in Maka's ever growing wound. Liz lightly elbows Patty to quiet her, Maka sending both of the sisters a heated glare. _

_Maka quickly wipes away a tear with the sleeve of her shirt. "I-I don't want to see any of you! Not until you see the truth!" Maka screams at them, shaking her head, finally losing it. _

_"Maka-chan, don't be unreasona-" Tsubaki begins, suddenly cut off by Kid's eerily calm words._

_"No Maka. You're the one who doesn't see the truth. I'm sorry that I can't offer you any support in this battle, but you're bringing this upon yourself. The longer you believe in Soul's innocence, the more you'll hurt yourself." _

_Before she knows what__'__s happening, words are spilling out of her mouth, and she refuses to be stopped. "Soul is the only man I've ever given my absolute trust to! He changed my view on the male population entirely; do you think someone like that is a murderer? He's saved my life enough times to show that he cares, and he's saved all of your asses too! Why would he go off and kill someone? Why? What would be the purpose in that?" Tears are flowing steadily now._

_But the words keep going.  
><em>

_"Soul's proven his loyalty to all of us, and I think I speak for everyone when I say he's the coolest guy we've ever known! So, Death the Kid," She snarls his name in his face, allowing specks of spit to fly, "__**Soul Eater Evans, the man I **__**fucking love,**__**ISN'T A MURDERER!**__" _

_A couple of them blink at the sudden confession, but no one has time to say anything before Maka is off, storming away, all the while sobbing. They can hear her cries slowing growing distant as the wind whips at her pigtails. _

_She doesn't even know what she's doing, but before she knows it, she's at an all too familiar building, and the man running the train ticket booth gives a strange look at her crying face. _

_"The usual. One ticket to north-central Shurttape City."_

* * *

><p>Maka keeps her word. She refuses to interact with any of her former friends unless it's directly necessary, and no words are conversed without a tense atmosphere. Another slow year passes, and somewhere between that time, Maka is forced to take a position as a teacher at Shibusen. It's a good way of getting things off her mind, and to be honest, she doesn't really mind it, enjoys it even...<p>

And she needs the money. Her wage is about half of what she and Soul used to make, but it's enough to pay rent and buy her a low-budget meal every day. She eats curry more often than she used to, and she tells herself that it's not because it was Soul's favorite, but because she just really enjoyed it the taste of it...

She develops a routine.

On weekdays, she wakes up at 5 a.m. After taking a shower and eating a quick bowl of cereal, she continues to Shibusen to continue her day as a teacher. Most weekends consist of laying around doing nothing. Perhaps reading, but lately, she hasn't really been up to it and she hasn't bothered to drag herself to the book store.

Then there are _those _weekends.

Once a month, she spends seventy bucks out of her budget to purchase a train ticket to Shurttape City. Each time she visits him is the same, although their conversations vary, it's always small talk about anything and everything. She spends the maximum offered time there with him, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. And he doesn't mind one single bit.

Slowly, this routine becomes her life, and slowly, she learns to cope with it. It doesn't mean she likes it, oh no, she is very far from liking it, but she's a big girl (twenty years old) now, and she can handle it; survive it.

Even if does require breaking her heart.

* * *

><p><em>"Fuck you, Wes."<em>

_He's already blown his mother and father away with a harsh conversation, and now he's losing his ever-so-perfect brother too. Perhaps Soul would've been a little nicer to them, but the fact that they took four years to finally drop a visit really pisses him off. _

_And with a slight bit of denial, he realizes that it stings. His own mom and dad couldn't even bother themselves into visiting their son while he was in prison for Death's sake! They were too concerned about vacations, business, work. Apparently, all of that mattered more than family. And then another pang of hurt hits him when he reminds himself that he probably quit being considered "family" a long time ago. _

_"Soul..." His brother's voice is pained, and something about his tone makes Soul all the more angry. _

_Pity._

_Pity is weaved within his brother's deep voice, and it enrages him. He doesn't need pity, what he fuckin' needs is _to get out _of this horrible place deemed as "prison." Soul grinds his teeth together, biting at his tongue to contain from lashing out again. _

_"You know, Soul, I know it may not seem like it, but I love you bro..." _

_Instead of thanking him and smiling like a normal person would, Soul's lips draw back into a snarl._

_He flips Wes the finger. _

_With a sigh, his brother shakes his head and slowly turns to leave the visiting room, his straight and graceful stance haunting Soul's vision as he walks away. He takes a deep breath, telling himself not to let it get to him. And besides, he reminds himself, Maka is coming tomorrow. _

_Maka is visiting tomorrow.  
><em>

_And as he repeats this to himself in his head, he doesn't even notice the fact that he's looking forward to the next day.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Her twenty-fifth birthday is special.<p>

And she's breaking down in front of him…She didn't mean to simply fall apart right then and there, but she just can't help it.

"S-Soul, it's been seven years...And I still haven't proven you innocent...What am I supposed..." She begins.

With each coming and going year, proving Soul innocent had become a heavy priority that she couldn't seem to handle. Each day that went by, the nagging fact that her partner was in prison bugged at her conscience. She shouldn't be teaching a class of freaking one-stars, she should be finding information that could possible help Soul! At least, that's what she thought.

"Maka. You don't have to do anything..." Soul tells her in a soft tone, trying to comfort her. He hates that she's crying, and to make the matter worse, he _is _the reason why she's crying.

"But-"

"You visit me every month when you don't have to. The fact that you've stayed with me this entire time means enough to me already, Maka. I don't need to be proven innocent. I'm fine as long as you stay with me, 'kay?" He says, and he's mildly surprised with how content he is with spending his life in prison. He realizes that he doesn't even really care, as long as he has the one person who means the most to him, whom just so happens to be his meister.

"Soul..." She looks down and absent-mindedly starts picking at the peeling paint on the old and worn-out counter. They sit there for a while, at least thirty minutes, not saying anything, simply enjoying each other's presence. Other people's conversations fill the room, but their words are lost within the intricate mixture of noises that occupy the rectangular room.

And then an idea strikes him. It's a crazy one, and he knows that it's absurd to voice it, but he doesn't stop when he feels the words forming on his lips...

"Maka,"

Her gaze quickly snaps up to him, slightly caught off guard by the sudden break in silence and his change of tone.

"When I get outta here, I want you to marry me." His expression is a mixture of hope, minor excitement, and maybe even a little happiness. He offers her a grin, showing off his jagged teeth.

"W-what?" She stutters, the faintest shade of pink tingeing her face.

"If I ever get outta this shithole," he puts emphasis on the word 'shithole', "I wanna marry you."

She is at absolute loss for words, not sure what to make of her partner's sudden show of affection. Her jaw hangs a little bit, her brain working to form a response that doesn't sound stupid.

He continues for her, "I don't know when it hit me, but I've realized that I must be in love with my meister..."

"S-Soul..." She whispers...She feels the corners of her lips twitch, threatening to break into a smile.

"So, how about it Maka?" If he could've, he would have held out his hand to shake with her, similar to when they met. And then he's staring at her as she slowly crescendos into a small and quiet fit of laughter. She's smiling, and for a second, Soul isn't sure if she's laughing in happiness, or at him, or what.

"Mak-?" He's just about to ask her if she's okay when she stops him.

"That's funny, Soul, because I think I just so happened to fall for my weapon..." Then they're both grinning at one another.

Despite the fact that they're in a freaking _prison, _happiness bubbles in his chest, and suddenly, the second great idea that day strikes his mind. Instinctively, he reaches out and rests his hand on the glass between them. Maka notices this and copies, forming a similar replica to the same day so many years ago.

"Hey Maka..."

"Yeah?"

"Care for a dance?" It's a moment before Maka has any clue as to what he's talking about, but then everything clicks into place. Hope fills within her.

She smiles at him and nods. He lowers his head and closes his eyes before whispering into the phone, "I'll let you start then...Meister's first, right?"

Maka lets out a small laugh before closing her eyes as well. Soon, their souls are intertwining with each other, humming together in a sweet and peaceful harmony. Maka grins one last time before allowing the magic words to brush past her lips…

"Soul Resonance…"

* * *

><p>And so, they do just that. They embrace one another in the Black Room, not quite sure why they didn't think of this any sooner. Perhaps, it had fluttered across Soul's mind before, but it didn't feel right then. Something was off. But now…now it felt perfect.<p>

They ignore the little red imp that grins in the corner of the room, and they ignore the horrible jazz shit that's playing. Instead, they listen to the sound of each other. Quiet breaths and quick paced heartbeats.

They're in sync as they fall into a small dance that doesn't match the tempo of the song. Moving back and forth, her head rests against his chest while his head leans against the top of hers. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Maka notes how much taller they've both gotten.

Suddenly, the reality of everything settles with her, and she feels her throat constrict as tears threaten to form.

"Maka…" His voice breaks her thoughts. She lifts her gaze to meet his.

"Mhmm…?"

"I meant it…I really do think that I love you…" His voice is much more sincere than it had been through the phone, and she can really hear the meaning in his voice now that they're in "person". She opens her mouth to reply, but she's cut off by his lips against hers.

At first, she doesn't know what's happening, but then she shuts her eyes and kisses him back. After so many years of longing for this moment, she's not quite sure what she was expecting, but she's happy with what he's giving her.

It's a slow and passionate kiss, so many years of locked up emotions finally breaking through. When they part for air, she stares at him.

"…Soul…"

He offers her a smile, a genuine smile; not a smirk, not a grin, but a _smile._

Despite the tears that are threatening to spill in her eyes, she returns the gesture.

And even though they're in a prison, even though all hope may be lost in the reality, they can still lose themselves within the depths of their very souls.

Because they're not alone.

They have each other...

* * *

><p><em>~end~<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: (Warning: Prepare yourself for a long-ass A/N! :P)**

**Hey…Wow, this story came out longer than expected…I truly hope that you guys enjoyed this! This is probably the first story that I've written that actually has a pre-planned plot development. I actually scribbled down the outline of it on a piece of paper, lol. Because, most of the time, the only things I write is just a long line of brain puke...Like James Patterson! Lol.  
><strong>

**This is probably my best story that I've published, and I'm actually quite pleased with the finished product. I think that maybe, Maka cried a bit too much and was too emotional, but then again, her partner/person she loves was just arrested for murder, and I can imagine Maka as a person to become very upset by that. I'd probably be the same way if I were in her situation…Maybe…And perhaps they were too young (17 and 18) at the beginning...I dunno.  
><strong>

**Uhm…About the entire situation at jail and whatnot…I apologize for anything that isn't true about prison and how people visit…I mean, I have no idea how that kind of stuff works…I just went with what sorta sounded right…Lol, I apologize for any factual incorrectness. Same goes for the lawyer/secretary stuff...I know they can't possibly set up a jury date that soon...But I didn't know how to make it work...  
><strong>

**Oh, again, sorry about the format…I'm not quite sure how to explain how it goes from past to present, or sometimes present to present, or—Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Hopefully it didn't confuse anyone…I don't know what was going through my mind when I wrote it like that…*Gives sheepish smile and a shrug***

**And I also realize how choppy this is. It's like, a planned out piece of brainpuke~! I take it back, this probably isn't my best piece of work...Lol.  
><strong>

**I've been working on this for, oh gawsh, what? A week? Actually, this has been finished for a couple of days, I was just too lazy to edit it... Definitely the longest I've ever spent on a story, especially for a one-shot! I dunno if you would consider this a happy ending or not…I think that I'd consider it a little bittersweet, although I guess it's up to you how you view it. **

**I wasn't very pleased with the whole 'confession' scene…I think that Maka was OOC with how she was all laughing and stuff…Although, in a way, I feel that she kinda went…loopy(?)…after being away from Soul for so many years. (Damn, this is a long A/N) And perhaps the fact that most of the gang sorta lost hope in Soul may be OOC as well...But...I just don't know! I mean, in my head, Rich Cheshire had produced Soul's actual fingerprints and hair DNA and whatnot at the scene of murder (because he's a magical pixie fairy...)...I mean, I can imagine everyone, over time, being like: "Oh crap...There's no way he could be innocent...If...?" There really isn't anyway to prove Soul innocent...So, in the view of everyone else, he must be guilty? And since the gang isn't as close to Soul as Maka is...I guess it's possible that they lose faith in him? I don't know! Please, just...I apologize for the OOC Monster! :P  
><strong>

**Oh yeah, and I was having an idea of making a separate one-shot thing from the POV of a police officer who watches Maka and Soul's relationship at the prison. You know, like one of the guards who stands by the visiting room's door? Like, perhaps a line out of it would be: 'He notices how the blond-haired one visits the white-haired one every month, no matter what.' Wait…That sounds stupid, not that. Something **_**like **_**that, just a little different.**

**This most likely will stay a one-shot…I might make a two-shot someday, where someone catches Rick Cheshire, that evil bastard. Oh yeah, if you were wondering about him, he's just some made up evil villain that I made up…I guess he's not human, or mortal at that…He's some sort of evil wizard or something, I dunno, luls. **

**Oh, and, maybe Soul IS being jealous, telling Maka that he wants to marry her...Or at least, that's what my friend WindyCanyon told me...Well you know what? OH WELL! :D You hear that Windy? If you're reading this, your comment was ignored! Lol.  
><strong>

**Okay, well, that's the end of my **_**obnoxiously long**_** A/N, (sorry about that!)…Thanks for reading! Reviews are always nice as well!**

**:) **

**P.S.: Oh crap. Oh crap, crap crap! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day...And I haven't written anything for it! I promised that I'd write something...Argh! (Enter swear word of choice here)  
><strong>


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